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Marcos' pre-season diary

First Team coach Marcos Alvarez gives us the inside track on pre-season preparations.

First Team coach Marcos Alvarez gives us the inside track on pre-season preparations.

Marcos will give us the rundown on what the lads are up to on the training ground as they get ready for the big one - the Barclays Premier League kick-off at Middlesbrough on August 16.

Back from Spain, friendlies, Holland and at the Lodge again - days 25-35, July 27-August 6

"IT'S been a hectic spell with four friendlies in the space of a week," reflected Marcos.

"With that in mind, it's been light sessions with days to rest and recover in-between. Fitness-wise, the harder work is done and last week was all about football. We will do more endurance work building up to Middlesbrough and we hope to start the season in good shape.

"We've looked to give the players the correct amount of minutes in each match, so some players have played for 90 minutes and then in the next game, 30 minutes. The most important thing is the reaction of the players to that in terms of match fitness and they've played at a good tempo in all the games.

"We are happy because the players have trained well, we've had few injuries with the main problem over the five weeks the expected slight muscle problems and we are already seeing that they feel good in matches. That's always the main aim.

"On Wednesday, the squad returned to Spurs Lodge for a three-session day including some endurance work. It's not about long runs, however, more about circuits, football, tactics and strength work. We now do similar work to what they will find in a game - short, sharp work followed by rest and recovery.

"We are now building up to Roma, which is an important game for us in front of our fans but we have to work as well and finish pre-season ready for Middlesbrough."